


Astronomy 101, Part 1 (One Shot in Two Parts)

by QuietWriter48



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Astronomy, Cas shows Dean the stars, Cas teaches Dean astronomy, Destiel - Freeform, Fluff, M/M, No Angst, No Sex, all fluff, angelic travel, interspace travel, no hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 17:13:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17666729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuietWriter48/pseuds/QuietWriter48
Summary: In which Castiel teaches Dean astronomy, up close and personal, by giving Dean a front row seat to the stars. All fluff, no angst, some teasing; Sam is barely in this one again, sorry.  I know I said 'one shot', but this one just wants to have two parts, okay?  This is basically a rough draft, my apologies for the inevitable tense differences and grammatical errors.





	Astronomy 101, Part 1 (One Shot in Two Parts)

Do I really have to keep admitting that Supernatural and it's totally cool characters are not mine? Oh, well, can't win 'em all.  
  
‘Have you ever seen Mars, Cas?’  
Breakfast at the Bunker, and Dean has made eggs, bacon, toast, and orange juice for everyone. Cas makes a show of picking at his eggs for Dean’s sake.  
‘Yes, Dean. I have walked on Mars – I spent nearly a century there, cataloging for Father.’  
Sammy looks up from his egg whites with bell peppers and onions.  
‘Wow, Cas! No shit - really?’  
‘I am not certain what excrement has to do with Mars, but yes, Sam.’  
Sammy chuffs and forks up some egg.  
‘It’s just a saying, Cas. It means you can’t believe what someone just said.’  
‘Why would you doubt my word, Sam? I have always been honest.’  
‘No, Cas, not like that. In the sense that what was said sounds too unusual to be true.’  
Castiel just nods. He still doesn’t understand Sam’s point, but chalks it up to one of those human things he probably will never really comprehend.  
‘Dean, would you like to see Mars?’  
Dean nearly chokes on a prodigious mouthful of egg and bacon. His eyes go wide, and Cas just sits there, patiently waiting for a response. Dean hurriedly chews and swallows.  
‘Jesus, Cas! Um, I haven’t really thought about it. We’re still workin’ on getting back to the moon, much less landing rockets on Mars. Might be a while yet.’  
Dean washes his egg and bacon down with some OJ.  
‘You do not need to ride a rocket to Mars, Dean. You can ride me.’  
Sam and Dean both spew egg and orange juice, and Dean turns a deep shade of crimson. Sam just laughs and fetches a paper towel to mop things up with. Castiel looks utterly confused.  
‘I don’t understand. Was it something I said?’  
Sam chuckles to himself, wiping the spill then tossing a three pointer into the trash can.  
‘No, Cas. You didn’t say anything wrong. I’m sure Dean would love to ride you... to Mars.’  
Dean chokes on his orange juice again, and glares at Sam. Sam makes a quick exit, claiming research at the library, laughing his ass off the whole way. Dean just coughs and splutters, muttering 'bitch' under his breath, and fetches his own paper towels.  
‘Dammit,’ Dean’s voice is hoarse with OJ going down the wrong way twice in the last few minutes. He daubs at his shirt and curses.  
‘I’m gonna have to change, Cas. Back in a minute. I’ll get the dishes, it’s my turn anyway.’  
‘All right, Dean.’  
Dean is back moments later, and Cas helps him with the dishes. Dean washes and Cas rinses and dries.  
‘You did not answer me, Dean. Would you like to see Mars?’  
Dean stops a moment, dish and soapy washcloth in midair.  
‘I would really like to, Cas. But last time I checked, humans need oxygen, and Mars doesn’t have enough.’  
‘I can alter the atmosphere around you to insure that you have the proper atmospheric pressure and oxygen content.’  
Dean passes over the last of the dishes to Cas to dry, and turns to lean back against the counter.  
‘I would like that, Cas. Yeah, sure.’  
‘You will need a jacket and gloves, Dean. It may get a little chilly for you.’  
‘Sure,’ Dean drapes the washcloth over the faucet to dry and fetches his jacket and gloves. It feels a little silly to be putting his jacket on in the middle of summer, but if Cas thinks he’ll need it, he probably will. Dean comes back into the kitchen putting his jacket on and stuffs his gloves in his pockets.  
Cas appears behind Dean – so close their bodies are touching from chest to ankle. Dean can’t breathe. Cas feels like the sun against his back, and when Cas puts his hand over the handprint on his shoulder, it throbs in harmony with Cas’s Grace. Dean gulps a suddenly dry throat.  
‘Cas, personal space?’ Dean manages to croak out.  
‘It is necessary for you to remain close to me, Dean. Maintaining a survivable atmosphere for you during inter-dimensional and inter-space travel is harder than it sounds.’  
Dean gulps. He’s not impressed, really. And not scared, either. Really – he’s never doubted Cas’s ability to watch his back and keep him safe. And did he say he’s not impressed? Well, he’s not.  
Cas’s hands grip Dean’s waist and Dean finds himself leaning back into the Seraph in spite of himself. Cas’s voice is a whisper near his ear, and Dean can’t help the paroxysm of shivers up and down his spine.  
‘Dean, are you okay? Your heart rate is elevated, and your blood pressure and hormonal levels are rising.’  
Dean gulps. He’s not turned on right now, really. But how can he lie to a human lie detector?  
‘It’s okay Cas. I’m just excited, that’s all.’  
Liar, liar, he thinks. You’re excited, all right. Cas seems to accept this at face value, however, and Dean is not sure if he is relieved or disappointed. Then Dean is aware of blue light pouring around him, and Cas’s deep voice chanting in Enochian. Cas’s voice whispers in Dean’s ear again; more shivers race up and down his spine.  
‘You might want to close your eyes, Dean. Inter-dimensional travel can be somewhat disconcerting for humans visually.’  
Dean nods meekly and closes his eyes. He focuses on the sound of Cas’s voice, a rumble in Enochian that he swears he can feel vibrating through his entire body. A sensation of nothing – only Cas’s hands on his waist, the feel of Cas against him, Cas’s legs bracketing his. Then Cas’s voice against his ear again. Would he ever not get the shivers from that?  
‘You can look now.’  
Dean opens his eyes and gasps. Iron red dirt as far as the eye can see, and in the distance the largest mesa or mountain he’s ever seen.  
‘Olympus?’ he ventures, not quite able to remember anything except the feel of Cas’s hands firmly on his waist.  
‘Olympus Mons,’ Cas finishes for him, deep voice rumbling through every bone in his body.  
He gulps and nods his head.  
‘Yeah, that’s what I said,’  
Macho bravery thinly disguising an overwhelming sense of awe. Overhead, Deimos and Phobos giant against a sky littered with stars.  
‘Oh, Cas,’ he breathes. Nothing was ever so beautiful.  
‘It’s… amazing…’ Words fail him, but words were never his strong suit. He leans back into Cas, and rests his head on Cas’s shoulder without realizing it, in an effort to take in the view. He’s so wrapped up in how amazing it is to see two moons in a sky crammed full of stars that he doesn’t hear Cas’s breath hitch, or the contented sigh.  
Cas’s voice fails him. He can’t speak because there’s something in the way of the words. He swallows thickly. When he speaks, his voice is husky with emotion, but Dean doesn’t seem to notice.  
‘Would you like to see Jupiter? We could stand on Europa.’  
Dean is speechless, he just nods.  
‘Close your eyes.’  
Dean’s eyes close, his temple rests against Cas’s jaw.  
‘Okay, Dean, you can open your eyes.’  
Dean takes a moment to open his eyes. Jupiter fills his vision, like a mountain range looming over the horizon. It is a sight he likely will never forget as long as he lives, and beyond.  
‘Amazing,’ he breathes.  
‘Let me show you a nebula – your scientists call it ‘The Pillars of Creation’.’  
Castiel’s hands tighten around Dean, one hand spanning his chest, the other spanning his waist. Dean presses back into Cas instinctively and closes his eyes.  
‘Look, Dean,’ Cas whispers in Dean’s ear. He knows he will miss these moments, shoves those thoughts out of his head. He can tell when Dean opens his eyes because Dean gasps, and it’s not for lack of oxygen.  
‘Oh my Chuck, that’s amazing,’ Dean breathes. ‘I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.’  
‘Neither have I,’ breathes Cas, just softly enough that Dean does not hear him; he’s not talking about the stars anymore.  
Dean is not sure how long they stand – hang suspended – whatever the hell you do when you’re in the middle of space and watching a fucking nebula up close – well, a hell of a lot closer than the Hubble gets, anyway.  
‘We should get back, Dean. I am uncertain how long you will be able to withstand the atmospheric mix I have created.’  
Dean nods reluctantly. Cas’s arms tighten around him and he closes his eyes, focusing on the sensation of Cas’s arms around him, Cas’s warmth against his back, Cas’s legs brushing his. He tells himself it helps him withstand the weirdness of inter-dimensional travel, but he’s not sure even he believes himself.  
Soon he feels the familiar pressure of earth’s atmosphere, the familiar smells and sensations of the Bunker. He opens his eyes and realizes Cas has blinked them in on the couch in the Den. Cas is stretched out under him, and Dean is lying between his legs. Maybe Cas needs a rest after all that. Inter-dimensional travel, while maintaining an artificial atmosphere, cannot be easy. Especially since Cas’s wings are still not quite completely healed – mostly, but not entirely.  
‘I just need a moment, Dean. I am sorry. Traveling like that…’ Cas’s voice trails off, though his arms are still wrapped tight around Dean. Dean reaches up and pats Cas’s arm where it rests along his waist.  
‘That’s okay, Cas. Rest as long as you need to.’  
At least this way, he won’t have to admit how much he likes… nope, not going there.  
He hears Cas mumble in Enochian, and suddenly feels tiredness overtake him. It doesn’t take him long to fall asleep.  
Cas refuses to feel bad for putting Dean to sleep with a spell in Enochian. He just can’t let go quite yet.  
Maybe next week they can watch moonrise on Olympus Mons…  
  



End file.
